Here are the top performers on January 20 and the stats to highlight their impact:
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Tyrese Maxey PHI PG 29 PTS | 8 AST | 8 STL | 70.8 FPS (vs. IND)
The first-time All-Star dominated today, finishing with his 36th game of the season with at least 20 points while also registering a career-high in steals. He remains among the top players in the league in both categories, ranking third with 30.2 points per game and fourth with 2.1 steals. With the way he’s been playing this year, it would be no surprise if the Sixers emerge as a legitimate threat in the playoffs.
BREAKOUT:
Max Christie DAL SG 26 PTS | 6 REB | 2 AST | 35.2 FPS (vs. NYK)
Christie was locked in from deep, knocking down a career-high 8 triples for a game-high and season-high scoring effort. It was his fifth 20-point game of the year, and with Dallas lacking consistent scoring options, they’ll need him to continue playing at this level.
SLEEPER:
Jaylon Tyson CLE SG 16 PTS | 10 REB | 4 AST | 30.0 FPS (vs. OKC)
The second-year guard followed up his 39-point explosion against the Sixers with his fifth double-double of the season. While he had a rough scoring stretch to start the month, he’s now found his rhythm, averaging 20.2 points and 3.6 three-pointers in his last five games.
ELITE ASSET:
Victor Wembanyama 33 PTS | 10 REB | 2 BLK | 57.5 FPS (vs. UTA)
Wemby knocked down seven threes and finished with his ninth 30-point game of the season, while also recording his 17th double-double. Already one of the league’s best defensive players, he has also shown a clear uptick offensively this month, averaging nearly 26 points, almost 3 made threes per game, while shooting at 50% from the field.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Mitchell Robinson NYK C 12 PTS | 14 REB | 2 BLK | 33.8 FPS (vs. DAL)
The big man has finished with double-digit rebounds for the sixth time in his last seven games while also providing positive value on offense. Despite inconsistent playing time and missing some games this season, he has remained elite on defense, ranking 18th in the league at 9.2 rebounds per game and 32nd with 1.2 blocks.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Luke Kornet SAS C 7 PTS | 7 REB | 3 BLK | 32.4 FPS (vs. UTA)
Over his last five games, Kornet has made a strong impact for his position, averaging 7.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks.
STREAMER:
Jaime Jaquez Jr. MIA SG 10 PTS | 5 REB | 9 AST | 28.5 FPS (vs. GSW)
The third-year player is a key contributor off the bench for the Heat, averaging 15.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this season. The upside is there, but consistency is an issue. Despite that, Jaquez should be poised for a much bigger role with Tyler Herro sidelined by a potentially long-term injury.
FLOPPER:
Bam Adebayo MIA C 4 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 21.9 FPS (vs. GSW)
Bam delivered one of his best scoring performances in their previous win against the Thunder, knocking down six threes and recording his second 30-point outing of the season. However, it was the complete opposite showing today, as he shot just 1-for-13 from the field and missed all five of his attempts from three.
